Gwen Cooper:Doctor's Companion or Torchwood
by Stephy-Lou Clark-Weasley
Summary: AU, neither Owen or Jack was there when Gwen got shot in Countycide. but someone else was. several months later of travelling through time and space, Gwen has to choose the TARDIS or Torchwood, the Doctor or Jack.
1. Chapter 1

It was so sudden

_It was so sudden. One minute I was standing, gun in my hand, nudging the door open. The next I was sprawled over the floor bleeding to death._

_I was shot._

_I closed my eyes and willed for Jack, Owen, Ianto and Tosh to find me. I shouldn't have wandered off, I should have stand with the group. But I didn't. I had to go off and prove I was more than a replacement for Susie._

_Now I was bleeding to death in the countryside…alone. As Owen would say 'only in the bleeding countryside'. Why didn't I listen to Jack?_

_I kept pleading to the heavens for them to send Jack over. It would be nice to die in his arms. He was such a good friend. So was Ianto…in a way, Ianto was too secretive. Tosh and Owen are still tense round me._

_I will always be the new recruit that messes' things up. The new girl who died on the first field trip out of Cardiff._

_Damn. Not how I planned to be remembered. _

_Death was long, slow and painful. I'm laying there waiting for it to happen quickly so I can no longer suffer the pain. _

_I feel someone graze my cheek. It was a soft touch. I leaned into it._

"_Miss, hold on, I'm the Doctor, I can help you, just don't die"_

_I felt someone scoop me up into their arms. The embrace was welcoming. I can smell tea. Tea, oil and bananas. It was a nice mixture. I opened my eyes and saw a blur of brown and blue strips of a suit. I heard a thump, as if something dropped. Probably my gun._

_It was then I blacked out._

"Where's Gwen?" Jack said scanning his surroundings. Everyone was there but Gwen. "Owen, Tosh, Ianto have you seen Gwen?"

"No I haven't" Tosh said looking up from the technology she was working on.

"Not since this morning sir" Ianto said looking up from his cooking "I hope she gets back before dinner gets too cold"

"Don't look at me, I'm not her keeper" Owen said shrugging. "she probably got herself lost in the woods"

"Come on then" Jack said "you can help me search for her" Owen groaned as Jack dragged him over to the woods.

They wandered through the woods for a good hour calling Gwen's name over and over again. Owen found himself near some houses when he saw it. A few subtle drops of blood on the grass. They seemed to be leading him to the house. He followed them, pulling his gun out. On the grass laid two objects.

A mobile and an I.D.

Gwen's mobile and I.D.

He began to ran. The blood drops were getting bigger, until he stopped at the patio. There it was. The large pool of dark red blood. Her gun was not so far away.

"Jack!" he shouted "Jack, come here"

Jack ran out of the woods and was at his side immediately. Owen handed the I.D and mobile to him. "something's got Gwen and I think whatever has is what causing all the strange things here"

The four searched hard and discovered that there was no paranormal cause for the disappearances just cannibals. They searched for Gwen's body amongst the other frozen bodies but couldn't find her.

It was determined that Gwen Cooper was killed and eaten.

Owen, Tosh and Ianto watched as Jack beat the crap out of the chief of the Cannibals.

No one kills a member of their team and gets away with it.

_I wake to hear the beeping of a heart monitor. The constant beat was soothing, the ceiling was plain and white, like one in hospital. Everything smelled hospital like. This probably meant I was in hospital or the med bay in the hub. My money was on hospital there was no way in hell they could have managed to get me into the hub in time._

_I can feel a hand in mine. It held my hand firmly. It was probably Rhys'…no can't be the hand is too skinny…maybe Jack's?_

_I allowed the darkness to consume me once again._


	2. Chapter 2

He wasn't sure went through his mind when he picked up the welsh girl and took her to the TARDIS

He wasn't sure went through his mind when he picked up the welsh girl and took her to the TARDIS. All he knew was that she looked small, young and oh so innocent. So much like Rose did. She looked even smaller when he looked at her face closely. Her skin was pale and her dark hair surrounded it, her pale green jacket was stained in her blood.

And he couldn't let her die. So he took her.

He held her hand for a while after he fixed her up, watching her sleep. He had no clue who she was, but he felt that he should be there for her. It's been over half a year since Rose.

He's picked up two companions since. One was accidental, Donna, a hot tempered redhead who left the moment she could. One he asked, Martha, a black medical student. But he felt too uncomfortable round her. It was one trip and one trip only.

He's probably going to have to take this one home the moment she was better. He sighed, is this what life will be like for him? Companions who stay for a trip before leaving.

She stirred in her sleep, mumbling something under her breath, her forehead crinkled in thought, before she slowly opened her eyes. She had large dark brown eyes.

"Where am I?" she whispered

"In the med bay" he replied

"Doesn't look like the med bay" she said

"Not your med bay" he said wondering how the hell she could have seen a med bay "my med bay. The one in my ship"

"We're out on the sea?" she asked blinking

He shook his head "spaceship" he said quietly waiting for the disbelieve or the anger for 'yanking my chain' as some put it.

"Really?" she said eagerly "you're a good alien then? Not planning on invading Earth?"

"Why would I invade Earth?" he asked looking confused

She shrugged "why do most aliens invade Earth?"

"Minerals, slaves, land. Reason why there's so many wars on your planet" he said waving a hand in the air

She smiled "it's nice to meet a good alien, I rarely do in my line of work"

"What do you do?" he asked this was interesting, he never once met a girl like this.

"I work on a team that guards the rift in Cardiff" she said carefully she then saw what she was wearing and looked back at him "where are my clothes?"

He backed away quickly, he did not need to be slapped. "I didn't look, promise. But they had to come off so I could get the bullet out. Plus I didn't think you'd appreciate the blood stains"

"It's all right" she said "I trust you to not look. The doctor in my work is a horny pervert, that's why when I wake up in a med bay without my clothes I feel like someone has looked or touched me" she looked back down at the nightshirt he put on her. It was the basic hospital white one "we don't have nightshirts and stuff, so it would be a bit worrying"

He chuckled slightly "if you want, I'll direct you to the wardrobe so you can pick out something to wear."

She beamed "yes please"

He offered her a hand and she took it. She was practically bouncing on her feet as he showed her round. Her eyes wide taking in everything.

_I stared at my reflection, smiling slightly. This amazing wardrobe had my exact favourite outfit, it literally jumped out at me as if the wardrobe knew all my inner most thoughts about clothes. Plain black and white converses, black jeans, dark red t-shirt and black leather jacket._

"_Thank you" I whispered to the room, it maybe naïve and childish but I think it heard me, and was rather pleased. Because despite the gigantic quantity of the ship I easily found myself in some kind of control room with the guy that saved my life._

_He looked up from the controls and grinned "she likes you" he said "she hasn't liked anyone like this – well apart from Rose and occasionally Jack"_

_Jack? Could it be my Jack? Nah couldn't be, millions of Jack's out there, it's a common name. hang on did he just say she? "she?" I said raising an eyebrow_

"_my ship is a sentient life form" he said "she hates people thinking she's just a machine, treat her like one and it will take you forever to find anything."_

"_so that's why I found my way round quickly" I commented "what's her name?"_

"_TARDIS" he said "stands for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space" he paused "you know I don't even know your name, how rude of me, whisking you away without asking your name at least"_

_I giggled slightly and held my hand out "Gwen, Gwen Cooper and you are?"_

_He shook my hand in an over the top manner, grinning like an insane maniac "oh hello Gwen Cooper, I'm the Doctor"_

"_Doctor who?" I asked _

_He shrugged "just the Doctor"_

_We were silent for a moment and then I asked something that I had been wanting to ask for a while. "where are we exactly? I mean are we hovering Cardiff or something, because if we are I don't think my boss will be pleased"_

_He snorted "no we're no where near Cardiff. We're in the vortex…if you want to go home I can just drop you off"_

"_NO!" I shouted "I mean no thank you" I wasn't ready to see the team yet. Don't need to humiliation. "how fast is your ship?" I asked changing the subject "I mean planets in just this milky way are light years away, alien ships must be very fast and I always was curious"_

"_This is a time ship" he said "we travel through time"_

_I almost had a heart attack there "it can travel in time AS WELL as other planets"_

"_Of course, wanna see?"_

"_Does travelling through time mean I won't be able to see a planet?" I asked "because between seeing someone like my great, great, great, great, great grandparents or going to a whole new world. I would prefer the whole new world"_

"_How about New Earth?" he asked "it's in the future and it's a whole new world, I took Rose there once"_

"_Where is this Rose and Jack you mentioned?" I asked "it's very quiet here" I looked up to the ceiling, I can almost here a sad hum, probably the TARDIS. _

"_Jack…he…he died" the Doctor said "and Rose…she's gone as well"_

_I don't know why but I reached out and hugged him. Not something you usually do to a stranger, he hugged me back quickly before pulling away._

"_Anyway" he said "New Earth, loads of cat creatures, aliens, futuristic techno. All that stuff, what do you say?"_

"_Yes please" I said sitting myself down on the captains chair there._

_He began to pull at the controls, pressing buttons, flicking switches, grinning insanely._

_And I grinned back, for once I get to see the nicer side of the paranormal. _


	3. Chapter 3

The TARDIS engines slowed down and got quieter and quieter until they stopped completely

The TARDIS engines slowed down and got quieter and quieter until they stopped completely. The Doctor turned to the smaller dark-haired girl and grinned.

"Out there Gwen Cooper, is a brave new world"

Her smile grew bigger "I bet you say that to all the girls you pick up" she said jumping off the captain's seat.

"I do not!" he exclaimed "well sometimes…but not to all the girls"

She giggled "so out there" she pointed to the door "is New Earth?"

"Oh yes, we should be in New, New York. Apple grass, clear blue skies…why don't you go out and see"

"Can I?" she said, if her smile got any bigger her face would crack.

"Yeah go ahead, I'm not going to stop you, ladies first, all that mumbo jumbo" he said waving a hand. She flew across the console room towards the door, she threw it open and ran out.

"Looks like downtown Cardiff" she shouted "did you land in a bad area?"

"What?" he said blinking, he walked towards the door.

"You might want to bring an umbrella out, it's raining" she said "oh wait it's stopped. Seems like typical British weather"

"You don't seem so bothered" he said as he got out of the TARDIS, her face looked like it was going to split into two.

"I lived in Cardiff, I can't really speak" she said

"What's wrong with Cardiff? It's brilliant, you're on top of a-"

"Rift in time and space, I know, I know" she said "it's not all that great, mostly weevil hunting and taking them back to the sewers. Occasionally a big bad alien comes along and one of us suffers a near death experience" He stared down at her sadly and took her hand. She looked up and smiled softly. "Show me the apple grass and all the other species that live here…it will be nice"

He grinned and pulled her along down the alley, he sincerely hoped that nothing will go wrong but then again it usually does.

_I woke up to find myself on a cool metal slab. There was low humming sound similar to an engine. I gathered my memories. I was kidnapped, by a couple and drugged. I remember hearing the Doctor scream my name before everything went black._

_I spotted a gun nearby and grabbed hold of it. I sat up and held the gun at them. "Who the bloody hell are you and why have you kidnapped me?" I said _

"_We're really are sorry" the woman said turning round "but we needed a third person for the fast lane"_

_I blinked "you what?"_

"_The fast lane" the man said slowly "we're on the motorway"_

_I widened my eyes, this did not sound good. I really do hope the Doctor can get me out of this soon._

_It was the shortest yet most terrifying car ride I ever had. Some kind of creature tried to eat us, we sped along this fast line trying to keep safe. The woman, she was pregnant, I spent most of my time keeping her calm. I thought I might die, at least this time I would be with someone, even if they were strangers._

_Then the Doctor saved us all. And for some reason I began to jump up and down cheering…I haven't felt like this in a long time. He told me to meet him in the senators building._

_When I got there it was empty, dusty, abandoned, filled with skeletons. The Doctor stood there, looking relieved to see me alive. I ran over and hugged him. He looked like he needed comfort._

"_You ok?" I asked _

"_I'm sorry" he said "it was my entire fault I should have never taken you here"_

_I pulled back and looked up at his face, his eyes reminded me a lot of Jack, someone who seen so much. "It's not your fault, I wanted to come"_

_He smiled but it went a way quickly "the Face of Boe" he exclaimed pulling me down a corridor. _

_In a room laid a large face, being cradled in a cat woman's arms. The Doctor ran to him and kneeled beside him._

"_Don't die Boe, lots of a life left" he said pleadingly "everyone lives, so should you"_

"_It is my time to go…I have waited so long to die"_

_It was a strange eerily familiar voice it caressed my mind and I leaned in to it. The big face looked at me._

"_Never thought you'd be at my deathbed Gwen"_

_The Doctor looked at me in shock, so did the cat nun. Did I know this face?_

"_It's good to see you one last time"_

"_Don't die" I whispered "like the Doctor said lots of life let in you"_

"_Oh Gwen, good ol' Gwen Cooper" he muttered "I have missed you so much"_

"_The legend" the cat nun said "the legend says the Face of Boe will say his final secret to the one like him"_

"_No it's all right, no secrets needed" the Doctor said hastily _

"_You know most of my secrets anyway…or you will soon Gwen" I shuddered, how the hell did I know him, he was so familiar… "Here my words Time Lord…You. Are. Not. Alone"_

_He died. His eyes closed and he stopped breathing. The cat nun sobbed, the Doctor looked like he was in shock. And I could feel tears running down my face. How the fuck did I know this face? Why am I mourning a stranger?_

_Me and the Doctor walked slowly down the alley towards the small blue box. Wow…never noticed that before. Well he did say something about it being bigger than it looks._

"_What did he mean by you're not alone?" I asked "I mean surely you got family and friends on your home planet"_

"_I don't" he whispered, I looked up at him "my home planet was destroyed in a war. I'm the last of my kind"_

"_You poor dear" I whispered _

"_Don't pity me Gwen" he said harshly "it was my fault. Like it was my fault that so many died, it was my fault that Rose…"_

"_It's not all your fault" I said "as my mother said, it takes two to tango"_

_His lips twitched. I smiled at him. The silence between us grew._

"_How does that face know who I am?" I asked _

_He shrugged "no idea, time isn't liner; you'll probably meet him in your future"_

"_But it feels like I already know him"_

"_It's like that, the residue is there, you know him yet you don't, not yet"_

"_Is it always like this with you?"_

"_Yes…do you want me to take you home?"_

"_No…I want to keep travelling with you. I saw so many amazing things…it…it was better than what I do…I don't want to go back not yet"_

"_Well then Gwen Cooper, how does plain old New York sound like to you?"_

"_Oh thank you" I said hugging him quickly_


	4. Chapter 4

I poured out a cup of tea and stired the milk and sugar in quickly, before adding hot water to some insant coffee

_I poured out a cup of tea and stirred the milk and sugar in quickly, before adding hot water to some instant coffee. Not the finest Ianto Jones coffee but good enough to keep me awake. I moved the two cups onto a tray along with a plate of chocolate biscuits. I picked up the tray and headed out of the kitchen._

"_Could you lead me to the Doctor please?" I muttered "I got him tea and biscuits, I wanna help" I could almost hear a hum before a door stood out in front of me "thanks" I opened the door and found him sitting in some kind of library staring at a photo._

_I crept over and gently laid the tray on the coffee table nearby and sat opposite him. I watched him silently as he stared at the photo. It could have been a photo of anything or anyone. But I knew it was related to those vile creatures…the daleks._

"_He didn't deserve it" I said. He looked up at me in mixed shock and confusion. "Sec, he didn't deserve to die, he changed for the better, wanted to make something so good"_

_He smiled at me sadly "before he began a dalek human he was one of the ruthless and terrifying monsters in the universe, he led the cult of Scaro. But yeah, he did change, he didn't deserve to die."_

_I picked up the cup of tea and handed it to him "just how you like it" I said as he took it from me. "Are they the reason why…?" I didn't dare finish the sentence. But he knew what I meant._

"_Yes" he said firmly "reason why I am the last, reason why I have lost many friends to death and the reason why Rose is gone"_

"_Where has Rose gone to? If you don't mind me asking, you don't have to tell me but…but she could come back right?"_

"_No…she's stuck. Stuck in a parallel world. It's all right, she's got her family…she'll move on and get married and live happily ever after"_

"_I doubt that" I said "I doubt that very much"_

"_You humans will get over it, move on and survive" he said sipping his tea "that's the way it is"_

_I sat there thinking for a moment and decided to let him know a bit about Torchwood and my life. "Before I joined the team" I said quietly "I was a police officer. One day they were at a crime scene testing some technology. I witnessed them do something so amazing. So I began to hunt them down, I located where they were based and I found a way to get in"_

_He watched me silently, I get the feeling he was trying to work out something. Like he was trying to calculate what type of person I am._

"_You see before I joined there was a team member called Susie, so they didn't need me…the boss he…he drugged my drink to make me forget…and I did…for about twelve hours…then I remembered everything…turns out Susie was the killer…she killed quite a few people just to test the technology." I sat there for a while remembering…I can't tell him about Jack, not yet. "The point is, us humans we could forget or we could give up, give in, but we never move on, not properly not with the big stuff"_

_He just took a sip of his tea, we sat there in silence for a while when he said "you want to see a photo of her?"_

_I nodded and he passed me the photo he was holding. I looked at it, and stared at the young blonde girl. She wasn't that much younger than me…probably a year or two, three the most. "She's beautiful" I murmured "absolutely beautiful"_

"_Yes she is" he said sadly_

_We finished our drinks and biscuits in silence. He then pulled me to the console room, starting a whole new adventure…_

"_I think it's time I took you home"_


	5. Chapter 5

Previously:

**Previously:**

"_I think it's time I took you home"_

"But I don't want to go home" she said pleadingly "I want to stay here and see other planets with you"

"Gwen your friends are probably worried about you" the Doctor said pressing buttons and flicking switches. "They'll want to know you're safe"

Gwen sighed, she should have known this wasn't going to last. The Doctor was just as secretive as Jack and she invaded on his secrets of the Time War and Rose. "At least come with me and explain to my team" she said "they would love to meet you"

He looked up at her blankly. He could meet this team, see how they're doing guarding the rift, and drop a few suggestions and leave. "Oh all right" he said

"Thanks" she said "because otherwise I have no idea how to explain"

The rest of the journey was silent. It went smoothly as well the TARDIS didn't shake or fling them violently. Just moved swiftly and silently as if she was crying inside.

Probably was the Doctor mused Gwen was a lot like Rose in the respect for the TARDIS. He followed Gwen out of the TARDIS all prepared to explain what happened and that Gwen is safe. All prepared to run like hell if they try to shoot him like most alien hunters do.

"This isn't Cardiff" Gwen said

"Oh…sorry we're in London" the Doctor said tugging his ear and glaring at the TARDIS, it was all her doing.

Gwen sighed in relief, it gave her a couple minutes to try and convince the Doctor to let her stay. She turned to talk to him to find him staring intently at the large TV. She turned to see what grabbed his interest to see a news reporter talking.

"Doctor?" she said shaking his shoulder.

"Did he just say to change what it means to be human?" the Doctor murmured

"Don't know wasn't listening" Gwen admitted

"You and me are going to a party tonight" the Doctor said turning to the TARDIS. "Then I'll take you home"

Gwen silently thanked the higher beings. For some reason she didn't want to go back, not yet.

_I examined my reflection, to check if everything was perfect for this formal evening. I rarely ever go to these formal parties. Last time was years ago, a college thing. I wore a vibrant shade of blue strapless dress with a black sash on the waist. My hair was held back with a blue jewelled clip. I was wearing matching earrings and necklace. I even did my eyes up with a deep blue eye shadow and black eyeliner. _

_I never felt or looked so nice. _

_I slipped into black stilettos and picked up a small matching blue purse before heading to the console room. When I got there I saw the Doctor in a tux and smarter looking converses._

"_I hate this tux" he said not looking at me "whenever I wear it something bad happens"_

"_You're sure it's not just you?" I asked grinning _

"_Cheeky" he admonished, his eyes flickered over me quickly "you look nice"_

"_Thanks, so do you" I said "a lot like James Bond"_

"_You think?" he asked looking excited. _

_I began to hum the theme tune as I exited the TARDIS, the Doctor hot on my heels. _

It had been a pleasant evening so far. The Doctor was running about trying the appetisers as Gwen giggled watching him while sipping her champagne.

"Doctor?"

The pair turned to see a young black woman in a black formal dress.

"Martha, fancy seeing you here" the Doctor said "Gwen this is Martha she went to see Shakespeare with me. Ended up saving the world didn't we. She's training to be a doctor so she had to stay"

"He made me stay" Martha mumbled looking a bit infuriated

"Martha this is Gwen" the Doctor said as if he didn't hear her "found her alone in the countryside bleeding to death, saved her and ended up taking her on a couple of trips. Been to the future and New York, she's going home after this" he took a deep breath "so why you're here?"

"My sister arranged the whole thing" Martha said she held her hand out to Gwen "Martha Jones nice to meet you"

Gwen shook her hand smiling "Gwen Cooper"

The Doctor disappeared, probably to find some more appetisers. Martha led Gwen to a corner. "He's gonna leave you too then?" she said

"Was going to until he saw something on the news and thought he needed back up" Gwen said "it's useful that I used to work for the police, otherwise I wouldn't know how to handle some of the issues that arises. Like when I got kidnapped my training helped me a lot"

"He's grieving over this girl" Martha said "her names Rose"

"I know" Gwen said smiling "she sounds lovely, he showed me a picture she's very pretty"

"You're not upset that he keeps going on about her?"

"Why should I? He's just a mate, if he needs a shoulder to cry on then that's what I'm here for"

"You don't fancy him?"

Gwen screwed her nose up "not really. He just saved my life and showed me a few planets on the way."

The settled down for the demonstration, a man called Lazarus had made himself a young man again. It was wrong, all wrong. He turned into a hideous beast and ate people, took their life force away. The Doctor, Gwen and Martha had to stop him.

_I was clinging to Martha's hands tightly as she struggled to pull me up. I was slipping slightly. If she dropped me I'm going to fall a good fifty feet and die. Lazarus was getting closer. He was going to kill us; the Doctor was struggling to sort out whatever it was he was doing to stop Lazarus._

_Suddenly loud, high organ music was played and Lazarus screamed in agony. He tumbled down and slammed into the floor, withering and twisting until he was that man again._

_Martha suddenly managed to pull me up and held me tightly. I turned my head and so the Doctor looks down on Lazarus mournfully. It was obvious that the man was dead. _

"_Thanks for saving me" I said to Martha as she walked down the stairs with me _

"_It was nothing" she shrugged, "can't stay, my Mum and siblings need to know I'm all right. Tell the Doctor I said bye yeah?"_

_I nodded and hugged her quickly before watching her run along. I turned to see the Doctor standing behind me. _

"_Take it you want to go home now?" he said _

"_Never wanted to go home in the first place" I snapped _

"_I guess…I guess you can stay…continuing travelling with me…"_

"_Good" I said I linked my arm into his "let's go back to the TARDIS you look like you could use a good cuppa"_

Jack sat in his office alone. Ianto, Tosh and Owen had all gone home; he pulled out the photo he had hidden in his drawer, the one of Gwen. He didn't know what it was about that young welsh woman but it drove him nuts. He fell for her hard and quick and now she's gone.

The phone rang and he picked it up quickly welcoming any distraction. "Hello Captain Harkness speaking"

"Captain good to speak to you again" said a warm welcoming voice

"Hello Mr Saxon"

"I want to say once again how sorry I am that you lost that team member in November. I don't want to rip any wounds but I swear to god I saw her in London today, all dressed up at the Lazarus party – which turned out to be a disaster. I'll send a report about it soon. Well goodbye Captain I have a lot of work to do"

The line went dead but Jack was frozen…could Gwen still be alive? Impossible…right?


	6. Chapter 6

I shivered when I got into the TARDIS, I have just expirerenced the most traumatising thing ever

_I shivered when I got into the TARDIS; I have just experienced the most traumatising thing ever._

_The Doctor being completely powerless. Controlled by a sun. _

_He's screams were echoing in my ear. The many crew members that lost their lives were also echoing in my ear. _

_It was like experiencing Ianto's ex cyberwoman girlfriend all over again. _

_The shivering will take a long time to stop. _

"_Gonna make myself a cup of coffee. Want something?" I asked as I began a fast walk towards the kitchen. _

_He grabbed hold of my shoulders, "you're shivering Gwen" he muttered he turned me round and scanned my face "do you want to go home?"_

"_NO!" I snapped breaking out of his grasp "I'm just a bit traumatised. I have never seen you like that. Depressed yes, suicidal yes, but never terrified."_

"_I'm sorry, so, so sorry"_

"_It wasn't your fault" I said "it was the crew, if they never harmed the sun we would have never been in that mess"_

"_But I brought you with me" he said _

"_You should stop taking the blame for everything. Like I said before it takes two to tango."_

"_You, Gwen Cooper are amazing" he said suddenly "how the hell did you know that Elvis had the more number one records?"_

"_Random fact that my boss spurted out" I said shrugging. _

"_Did you have a thing for your boss?" he asked smirking "because there's no way you should have remembered that"_

"_What? No! Me and Jack…no! He would have never seen me like that" I said blushing _

"_So you did then"_

_I narrowed my eyes at the smirking Time Lord "you're never going to let me live this down are you?"_

"_Course not! It's my job to tease you. After all that's what Best Friends do right?"_

_I beamed; I never thought he'd ever see me as his Best Friend. It's a bit hard to tell when he keeps trying to send me home. "Yep" I chirped _

"_And Best Friends always have a key to the secret club house don't they?" he said pulling out a silver chain with a key on it._

"_You mean…?"_

"_It's no longer a trip for you Gwen" he said "you're not a passenger in this anymore. Welcome aboard"_

"_Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" I squealed hugging him tightly _

_He laughed and hugged back "so where to next?" he asked _

"_Oh those springs you told me about, or an alien planet. I like going to alien planets, all that culture"_

_He chuckled "I'll just surprise you then"_

_Suddenly everything was so much better. I haven't even noticed till now that I had stopped shivering. _

"Excuse me, are you Martha Jones?"

Martha looked up to see a good looking guy in 1940 era clothes leaning against her front door.

"Yes, yes I am" she said "and you are?"

"Captain Harkness" he said flatly "I wanted to ask some questions"

"Look if it's about the whole hospital disappearing thing I have given my statement to the police" she said tiredly "now if you excuse me I need to get in"

"I'm not asking about the hospital"

"Well if it's about Lazarus-"

"Not asking about Lazarus" he said flatly he pulled something out of his pocket "I'm asking about her. Do you know her?"

She examined the photo "yes. That's Gwen Cooper" she said

"When did you see her last?"

"At the Lazarus party. Why?"

The man didn't answer he just walked off.

"Well that was strange" Martha muttered under her breath.


	7. Chapter 7

He woke up with a start

He woke up with a start. Once again the dreams plagued him. They were always the same. Ten spectacular adventures with a different face on him. A beautiful blonde girl walking away and then he would wake up. It would be roughly past midnight and he'll write, draw and go back to sleep only to have the dreams to start all over again. Only this time the blonde girl stays. Only this time it ends with him begging a pale girl with black hair to look after him for three months.

He got up slowly and pulled on his dressing gown. Taking a deep breath, trying to shake off the dreams. There was a soft knock on the door. Very soft. He knew immediately who it was. Every morning without fail, she will come with breakfast.

Well it was her job.

"Come in" he called

The door opened slowly and the shy maid took careful steps in. Almost like she was afraid to come in. She wasn't like that in the dreams…or maybe she was. Maybe the Doctor's lovely friend was shy but didn't let him see it.

"Oh sorry sir. You are not dressed" she said softly turning round quickly.

"No, no it's all right Gwen" he said hurriedly he grabbed her by the wrist and sat her down. Not completely respectable to another person's point of view. "I told you many times Gwen, you're my cousin. You've seen me in worse"

She smiled softly "I am sorry John" she whispered

"Oh Gwen. What happened to you?" he sighed "the child I knew was strong, outgoing and trouble. You seemed to have faded"

"It's nothing you should worry about John" she said pouring out his tea.

"I had another dream" he said suddenly "you were in it"

"Oh?"

"You weren't my cousin. In fact we weren't even the same species! You were a friend I found in 2007. How fascinating is that?"

She smiled warmly and he could almost see the old Gwen there. "I can safely say that the year is 1913 John. Now head out of those clouds. You got classes to teach"

He grinned for a moment but it faded. "I still wish I knew more about that blonde woman."

"Still running away?"

"She comes back" he said defensively "she always comes back"

"No need to get all upset. It was just a question"

"I'm sorry Gwen" he said

"No it was my fault. I shouldn't have questioned it. I have to go and do my duties. Goodbye sir"

She quickly jumped up from the sofa and walked hurriedly out off his room. He watched her sadly. He knows she hasn't been the same since her parents' early demise. But he can't help but get this feeling something wasn't right.

As if those spectacular dreams are actually real and Gwen is just playing a part and she's so unsure on how to act round him.

_I entered the TARDIS slowly and slowly walked up the ramp. My hand gliding along the rail. I visit her everyday. Trying to keep her company. _

"_Oh I missed you" I whispered "I don't know what to do. He's being so nice and friendly. Treating me like I'm the family he thinks I am. But it can be so easy to slip up. I want to tell him about Rose when he talks about her in his dreams. I want to talk to him about our adventures."_

_The TARDIS hummed quietly. I could barely hear it before now it was even weaker. _

"_Shall we get to work my dear friend?" I asked sitting down at the captains' seat pulling out a notebook and pen. "Men, they haven't got a clue have they sweetie? How could he __**not **__think of this?"_

_The TARDIS made the slightest giggle and the screen turned on to show the Doctor sighing and muttering to himself about marmalade and evil cats. I giggled along; oh the Doctor won't be pleased when he finds out that the TARDIS shows me these kinds of things._

"_I don't know if I could go back" I said quietly "it wasn't that I didn't like working with them or living there. It's just…it was so dark. Everything was terrible and nothing was wonderful – well at least in a light, fluffy way. It's not that I don't care about Jack, Tosh, Owen and Ianto. I love them quite a bit. But I wasn't close to them. Sure I don't know the Doctor's secrets but I feel like I'm his best friend. That's all I really cared about"_

_I paused and pulled out a reference book double checking my calculations from before "I know the rift is dangerous. But with all of this and hopefully the contribution of the team…we might get Rose back. That's what we want isn't it? I can't wait to get to know her"_

_The TARDIS screen showed me a quick clip of a blonde teasing the Doctor. She was so fun, happy and full of life and I never seen his smile so full. "Definitely can't wait to meet her" I said "soon enough this is ready and then we can drag the Doctor to Cardiff."_

The next twenty four hours seemed to have gone in his favour. Despite the fall he took on the stairs (no bloody comment). Joan Redfern was lovely, she was blonde. He showed her his journal of impossible things and she loved it.

She wasn't Rose though.

He had to get over that fantasy. The blonde woman does not exist. Joan does.

He was going to take Joan to the village dance. Not Rose.

A little part of him knows he's using Joan. Pretending that she's his Rose. He saw Gwen's dark penetrating stare on them. She also knows. Clever little girl Gwen is. She understands the human mind so well.

He can see Gwen now. Talking to Timothy Latimer, the boy he had just sent off for a beating. Gwen probably saved him from it. She looks horrified. What is that boy telling her?

_I ruffled the small boy's hair, comforting him as he admitted that he's mother is ill. And then I froze. I can see his life and he can see mine. He jerked apart and we stare at each other horrified. _

"_All those things you've seen" he whispered _

"_What did you do to me?" I asked taking a step back from him _

"_I did nothing" he cried out "please Gwen, I've always been like this"_

_It's funny, so have I. not to this extent, but I have always seen flashes of someone's past or future. It was how I remembered Torchwood despite the fact I was retconed. _

_His eyes are wide "and so have you! How did you cope? How have you managed to live with this curse?"_

"_My mother taught me" I said "it's a family thing."_

"_Could you teach me?" he asked _

"_I don't think I can" I say "I can't even control it. I have attempted to but I never learnt it properly"_

_He was fingering something in his pocket "so the Doctor…?"_

_I pressed a finger to my lips "shh…" my eyes narrowed. I have a feeling he knew about the Doctor long before he touched my mind. "You have the watch?" I muttered. He nodded and opened his mouth to say something. _

"_Latimer!" _

_We turned to see the Doctor – the human version storming towards us. Joan Redfern not too far behind_

"_May I ask why you are preventing my cousin from doing her duty?" he asked coolly _

"_Please, cousin" I said "Timothy was not preventing me from my duty for I have finished all of them and was having a recess. He was merely keeping me company."_

"_Fairly well" he said stiffly "I am about to take a walk with Nurse Redfern, would you like to accompany us cousin?"_

"_No thank you" I said "enjoy your walk cousin, Nurse Redfern"_

_I watched them walk away and I felt terrible. I was allowing him to fall in love with her…well not love more like an infatuation. But still in a few weeks I will be breaking their hearts. _

But it never does end well does it? In those dreams, something bad happens and they all leave. Especially the blonde woman, your Rose. And here you're dancing with a lovely woman, who you care about only for it to end with a group of maniacs holding a gun to her head and to your cousin's head.

"So who will it be Doctor?" the eldest says "your lover or your companion"

You suddenly feel sickened because your first thought is that Joan is not your lover. And your second is to save Gwen and only Gwen. And you cannot speak.

Suddenly there's a flash of gold and ice and fire feel you up. You turn in time to see little Timothy Latimer holding a very familiar silver fob watch. And then you turn to face the insane group to see Gwen had turned the tables and is holding a gun to her ex-captives' head.

And you realise that she's not bluffing. That she actually knows how to use a gun.

And the war you face. The scarecrows trying to kill those young men, all trying to get to you. You're trying to protect Joan, Gwen and Timothy. Because they're important, because you care.

Joan is crying and is refusing to look at you. Gwen has also got tears on her face and she looks at you pityingly and Timothy is looking at you in awe.

You have to open the watch and die.

You want a life with Joan, you want to have babies and die old. But really deep down you just want to be the Doctor. The Doctor and his Rose by his side. And you look at Gwen and you realise how much she hates doing this to you.

"What are we?" you ask

"Hmm?"

"We are not family…so what are we? He is not in love with you"

"And I am not in love with him" she replies calmly

"So what are we?"

"Best friends with a secret clubhouse." She says beaming

And you like that. You like the idea of having a best friend in a secret blue clubhouse that takes you to far away places.

So you open the watch.

_We walked towards the TARDIS slowly. Hand in hand. Timothy walking beside me clutching to my hand, trying to use his powers on me for some reason. Probably trying to have reassurance. _

_The Doctor turns to him and kneels so they're eye to eye. "Come with us" he said "I'll help you with your powers if you wish me to"_

_Timothy looks thoughtful and then he shakes his head "no thank you. I think you have your hands full with Gwen. She's got something major planned and I don't want to get involved"_

"_Well then" the Doctor said pulling something out of his pocket "keep this, you deserve it" he hands timothy that dreadful silver fob watch. _

_Timothy is beaming and accepts it. He looks disappointed that there is no companion residing in it. But he thanks the Doctor before turning to me. _

"_I see so many tings Gwen" he whispers "and I hope to god you don't suffer any of the many terrible futures I see for you"_

_I hug him quickly. We had only known each other for a short amount of time but I had already adopted him as a brother "and I pray you survive the wars"_

_We say our goodbyes and we go into the TARDIS. The Doctor notices my sadness and takes us back to present time. _

_We're in a graveyard. And there sitting in a wheelchair with tears on his face was Timothy. And I smile. I remember why I chose to stay here and not go back. _

_Question is…could I ever go back?_

**Authors note: phew that's probably the longest chapter I ever written for this story. I hope the way it was written is all right. It may seem a bit…airy. Please review. **


	8. Chapter 8

"I can't believe we got a taxi" Gwen muttered darkly gazing out of the window

**Authors note: this chapter is dedicated to my RRA sisters. Bloody hell girls I missed you. mutters about evil holidays**

"I can't believe we got a taxi" Gwen muttered darkly gazing out of the window.

"What's wrong with taxis? It's quicker than the bus and we won't get there in time if we ran" the Doctor said practically bouncing in his seat.

"You're not the one that has to pay" Gwen said "I am"

The taxi pulled to a stop and Gwen jumped out, throwing a tenner at the driver, the Doctor followed happily and was all preparing to run when someone shouted his name. He turned to see a young woman with mousy hair running to him.

"My god it's you" she said clutching to her purple folder as if it was some kind of holy relic.

He frowned slightly, who was she? "Sorry but whom are you?"

"Doctor!" Gwen shouted

"I'm Sally, Sally Sparrow" she said he was still frowning "you don't know me yet do you?" she stood there thinking and then she laughed slightly "it was me, it was me that told you"

"Doctor!" Gwen shouted

Sally pressed the purple folder into his hands "listen, you're going to get stuck in 1969" she said "you need this with you, it will tell you exactly what to do"

"Doctor, hurry up" Gwen shouted

"Look, sorry I have to go" the Doctor said "thanks anyway…what was your name again?"

"Sally Sparrow" Sally said beaming.

"Thank you Sally" he said before running off after Gwen.

_1969, at first I loved it. Watched the Moon landing four times. Enjoyed the parties. But then I got stuck in that year. I had to share a flat with the Doctor (who is a pain to live with in the TARDIS let alone a small two bedroom flat). I had to put up with people thinking we were married (really, really annoying) and I had to working in a pharmacy. _

_I was bored out of my mind. _

_The good news however was that I had almost finished my plans to use the rift to get to Rose. _

_The bad news was that my nightmares had returned. _

_It was hard enough being a maid and trying to explain to Jenny why I woke up screaming a good few times. But it's even harder to explain to the Doctor why every single night he had to wake me up from nightmares._

_They were always the same. Suzie, the weevils, Lisa, the fairies, the screams of those who were victims and the gang lying there dead, not even Jack woke up from his death. _

_I sob in his arms as he rocks me, whispering comforting words. He never asks why I have these nightmares, never asks what I dream about. _

_Until one night when I scream so loudly that the whole neighbourhood can hear. People banged on the doors to ask what happened, is she all right, I hope nothing happened to your sister John can be heard. _

_I sit there shivering. The dream was so terrible. They all laid there dead, torn to pieces and I didn't save them. _

_He pressed a large mug of sugary tea into my hands and forced me to sip it. It was about two or three sips before he asks. _

"_Gwen…what do you dream about?"_

"_My team" I whisper "Jack, Owen, Tosh and Ianto. They're laying there dead. Never waking up, brutally murdered by one of our many enemies. And I couldn't save them"_

_He doesn't press for details. But that was because he understands. Rhys…he always pressed me for details, he would always say "what is it about that job that horrifies you so much?" I shall never tell him. _

_For I will never see him again. I rather stay here in 1969 than go back. Rhys would never understand why I need to have adventures, why I need to save the word a daily bases. _

He watched her walk towards the flat from the window. He couldn't help wonder what horrors she saw to giver her, such violent nightmares. His other companions had nightmares after a few adventures. Rose used to cry out his name in her sleep and when she woke she would make a large mug if sugary tea and talked about it. Sarah Jane wouldn't admit it, she would pretend they never happened, even Captain Jack would get up and do some exercise after a bad nightmare.

None of them were ever that violent.

Gwen Cooper never had nightmares. He monitored her while she slept a few weeks after she was shot. She never had nightmares.

He stared at her as she talked to Mrs Baker the nosey old woman next door assuring the old lady that the nightmares were nothing bad.

Then he heard it, the blissful sound of home. The TARDIS returning and he can see Gwen running to the flat with the hugest grin on her face and all thoughts about nightmares were lost.

They danced round the console, cheering and toasting Sally Sparrow, when he notices that the TARDIS is in need of fuel.

"We got to go to Cardiff" he said "need fuel"

She hesitates before nodding "when we land I have to show you something" she said clutching a notebook that she keeps with her at all times.

"Maybe we should meet your team" he suggests lightly "I want to see who you work with Gwen Cooper. They sound interesting"

"Maybe…" Gwen muttered wondering how the hell she's going to explain the blue box to the others. And how the hell the others are going to take to her being alive. They probably already replaced her.

But still she needs to go to Cardiff. It's part of her and the TARDIS' plan.


	9. Chapter 9

"see the thing about Cardiff" the Doctor said grinning manically "as you know you clever girl, it sits on a rift

"See the thing about Cardiff" the Doctor said grinning manically "as you know you clever girl, it sits on a rift. The rift is oozing with energy which the TARDIS can use for fuel. Luckily we only need five minutes. Last time I was here it took twenty four hours ended up fighting a Siltheen and causing an earthquake so sorry if I broke anything of yours"

Gwen laughed weakly and smiled softly, she was hesitating, trying to come up with something to say. She pulled her notebook out and started to open it "Doctor…I…me and the TARDIS we thought that we could use the rift-"

The Doctor stumbled back from the screen with a horrified expression on his face "look Gwen we can't stay, I'm sorry I'll explain in a minute" he quickly pressed buttons and pulled down leavers

"No!" Gwen shouted "Doctor we need to use the rift to-"

The TARDIS suddenly threw them across the room, Gwen knocked her head on the railing and the Doctor clung to the screen. Gwen groaned as she scrabbled to her feet, she stumbled over to the screen clinging onto the nearest surface as the TARDIS threw them backwards.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?" she shouted.

"I don't know, we're accelerating, year 5 billion, 10 billion, 100 billion, 5 trillion, 100 trillion. Year 100 trillion. WHAT?"

"What? What is it? Doctor where are we?"

"We're at the end of the universe" the Doctor looked completely shocked "everything out there is dying. So silent, so bleak, so dark"

"Wanna check it out?" Gwen asked grinning knowing exactly where this was going.

"Oh yes!"

The two ran out giggling, the notebook Gwen so desperately wanted to show the Doctor was left abandoned – forgotten.

_I looked round and all I saw was bleak darkness, there was nothing, it was cold so cold. I was shivering. I scanned my surroundings and admired the rocky sculptured paths. And then I saw him. _

_He was lying there arms and legs spread out. Skin white tinged with blue. His lips losing all colours. Captain Jack Harkness lying there dead in a strange cold place. _

_I ran to his side ignoring the Doctor's shouts. The Doctor thinks it's a hopeless cause but he doesn't know Jack like I do. I fell to my knees and leaned over Jack, I shook him gently but that had no effect. I shook harder…nothing. Whatever happened took a strain to him. It was going to take some time for him to wake up. _

_I sat up and cradled his head in my lap, gently stroking his soft, thick hair. I kissed his forehead and ignored the Doctor who kept insisting that I should leave Jack alone. _

"_C'mon sweetheart" I murmur in his ear "wake up, I know you're just sleeping"_

_It was silent for a moment. And then I heard that heart warming gasp and I sighed in relief. I looked down at his sparkling cool blue eyes and smiled softly. _

"_Welcome back sweetheart" I said "almost had me worried you did."_

"_you're alive" he whispered getting up, he kept staring at my face and reached out slowly as if he was worried that I will melt into thin air if he touched me. "I wasn't sure" he cups my cheek and a huge grin fills his face. _

_I lean into his touch; I have forgotten how wonderful it felt when he touched me. It was only the most innocent touches but my heart always danced and my skin always tingled. _

_Suddenly he stood up and scooped me into his arms, swinging me round in the air. I giggled and wrapped my arms round his neck, I snuggled my face into his chest the moment he placed me on the ground I took in his scent. God I missed him. _

"_Doctor" he said sharply _

"_Captain" the Doctor replied just as harsh. _

_I looked up in shock and horror. "You two know each other?" I asked biting my lip nervously. _

"_Used to travel with him" Jack said "remember the right doctor? That's him. The son of a bitch"_

_I slapped his arm "language Harkness" I snapped _

_He let go of me and tackled the Doctor to the ground. I watched in horror as he began to punch the Doctor repeatedly. _

"_You bastard" Jack shouts "first you abandon me, then you leave Rose for dead and now you take Gwen"_

"_Jack!" I screamed, I pulled him off "listen to me Jack, LISTEN TO ME!" he stopped struggling to get to the Doctor. And stared over his shoulder to me "Rose is alive" I said stroking his back soothingly "she's just trapped in a different universe"_

"_I thought you were dead" Jack cried out "it wasn't till recently when Saxon gave me a call and mentioned seeing you at the Lazarus party when I began to hope…"_

"_I was shot" I muttered "he SAVED me. He's a good man Jack. He's my best friend. Please be nice"_

_Jack stopped struggling and he stared at the Doctor who was wiping blood of his lip. _

"_Sorry" he says gruffly _

"_Nah it's all right" the Doctor said smiling oddly "I would have done the same if it was Rose"_

_Next thing I know the two were embracing like brothers. I roll my eyes, men I shall never understand them. _

The Doctor couldn't believe it. Gwen knew Jack. Jack wasn't flirting with Gwen. Well he was but in a different way. A similar way as he and Rose flirted.

They were holding hands tightly as they walked along the path with him. He felt his hearts clench. It was like looking at a mirror. A man who will live forever and a girl who wants to be with him for that forever.

He took Gwen away from Jack like the daleks took Rose from him. Jesus no wonder he's lip stings, if he had half the chance he too would beat the living shit out of the daleks.

There in the distance he saw a man running, being chased by creatures.

"C'mon!" he shouted as he ran towards them.

He can hear Gwen's giggles as Jack makes a comment. He can hear their feet thundering behind him catching up with him. It was almost like before the whole Bad Wolf incident. Him, Jack and Rose. He let himself pretend for a moment before setting out to help.

_Jack pulled out that bloody hand from his rucksack out. And I rolled my eyes; he and that hand might as well be married. I opened my mouth to inform him that when the Doctor shouted. _

"_THAT'S MY HAND!"_

"_Well I told you I hand my own Doctor Detector"_

"_I knew your hand looked familiar!" I exclaim "do you know I had to look at that creepy thing every time I was doing paper work? I had nightmares of it breaking out and molesting me"_

_The Doctor looked sickened and Jack broke out in hysterical laughter. _

"_Hang on, you got two hands. Can you re-grow body parts then?"_

"_Only when I'm in the fifteen hour regenerating period" he said _

_I nod. Chantho however looks confused "Chan is this a custom of your people tho?" _

"_Nah only his nothing to worry about" I said smiling _

"_What species are you?" the professor asks the Doctor curiously _

"_Time Lord, last of them" he said with me and Jack mouthing along with him. It's obvious he has said it one time too many. Chantho giggles and the Doctor glares at us. _

"_Never heard of them" the Professor said dismissively _

_The Doctor looked put out and I and Jack find it harder to not laugh. _

"_Legend or anything? Not even a myth?" the Doctor leaned forward again, then shook his head. "Blimey, end of the universe is a bit humbling."_

"_Chan, it is said that I am the last of my species too, tho."_

"_Sorry, what was your name?" the Doctor stood._

"_My assistant. And good friend, Chantho," the old man ushered the alien girl forward. "A survivor of the Malmooth. This was their planet, Malcassairo, before we took refuge," he explained._

_The Doctor nodded. "The city outside that was yours?"_

"_Chan, the conglomeration died, tho," she replied, somewhat sadly._

_I flash her sad smile and she smiled back softly. "Sorry" the Doctor muttered Chantho waved a hand to dismiss it and kept smiling. She was a perky person. I rather liked her. _

"_So what was it with the beasty boys outside?" Jack asks referring to the creatures that chased us to this place. _

"_The Future kind" the Professor said sadly "it's what we'll turn into if we don't make it to Utopia soon" _

"_Utopia?" I ask _

"_Everyone's heard of Utopia" the Professor exclaimed "where have you been?"_

"_Cardiff" I said "terrible place never hear anything"_

"_A bog hole" Jack agreed. _

_The Doctor gave us an annoyed look before being sweeped away by the Professor who needed help to get the rocket working. _

He was jealous of Jack. Not because Gwen was paying attention to Jack more than him (he was rather used to people to pay more attention to Jack than him) but because Gwen was obviously Jack's Rose and Jack was finally reunited with her.

While he'll never see his Rose again.

He had to keep his eyes of them. Otherwise he'll keep comparing them to him and Rose.

He watched enviously as Gwen held Jack's hand waiting for him to come back to life.

"You have a room where no one can enter without dying" he said to the Professor. He can hear Jack's gasp and his American drawl as he muttered to Gwen "well I have a man that can never die."

So there he is standing by the door watching Jack work.

"How long did you know?" Jack asked suddenly

"Since I first ran away" he admitted "how did you find a gem like Gwen?"

"She followed me when she saw me one a crime scene. Kinda went on from there. She reminds me of Rose"

"Yes she's very Rose like isn't she?"

"But I love her for her" it was whispered but he caught it. He almost shouted something out in shock Jack Harkness in love? Impossible, but he merely nodded. "Why didn't you take her back? If all you did was heal her?"

He shrugged "she didn't want to. I tried. About twice but she flat out refused. She gets on well with the TARDIS and she sits there and listens to me when I talked about things"

"She's good like that." Jack winced as he twisted a muscle "why can't I die?" he asks

"Rose"

"But you sent her home"

"She came back. Took in the whole time vortex. It made her into a goddess. It almost killed her."

"Can she turn me back?"

"No…do you want to die?"

"I did…but then I met Gwen"

"I know how you feel. I was exactly like that after the Time War and then I met Rose"

"What a pair we make, hmm?"

"A rather foolish pair"

"DOCTOR!"

They turned to see Gwen running to him breathlessly. She flung her arms round him.

"You'll never believe it" she said "the Professor! He has a fob watch like yours! He's a Time Lord"

"What?"

"I think he's opening it" she said "right now, come on!"

_I thought it was a good thing that he wasn't alone. That someone from his planet survived. But the Master was nothing like he's human self. He was cruel and cold. He took the TARDIS and left the Doctor heartbroken while I and Jack are trying to escape the future kind. _

_I stare at the Doctor and I knew there was nothing we can do for him right now. That surviving was the main priority. _

"_DOCTOR HELP US!" I shout. _


	10. Chapter 10

If people noticed the sudden flash and the three people gasping for air, they didn't comment on it

If people noticed the sudden flash and the three people gasping for air, they didn't comment on it. There stood in an alley was two tall men one in a suit and one in 1940 era clothing and between them a small dark haired woman clinging on to them both.

"And you travelled this way" she gasped to Jack "it's horrible"

"Which is why my TARDIS is better" the Doctor said smugly

"We are not having the TARDIS vs. vortex manipulator argument again" Gwen snapped before Jack could open his mouth to argue. "Now come on we got to find the Master before he does something that could destroy everything"

"How can we be sure he's here?" Jack asked

"Because I blocked the TARDIS from travelling anywhere but to the last place I've been. This of course was Earth 2007"

"Of course" Jack says dryly

The three walked along the London Street. There was that irritating beat. Both Gwen and the Doctor looked round to see people continuously tapping out the beat.

"New song?" Gwen suggested

The Doctor shook his head. They continued to walk along the street when the large TV (that alerted the Doctor about Lazarus) flicked on and the news announced the new Prime Minister was Harold Saxon.

"All right" Jack cheered "I wanted to vote for him"

The screen moved to show Harold Saxon walking down the stairs with a petite mousy blonde in his arms.

"My god the Master is the Prime Minister" Gwen whispered

He leaned down and kissed the woman.

"My god he has gotten married" Jack said taking the Mick out of Gwen.

One of the body guards hauled someone down the stairs, her blonde hair was flying everywhere she looked up and made eye contact with the camera briefly.

"And he's got Rose" the Doctor whispered

"Shit" all three of them said at the same time.

"What this country needs is a Doctor" the Master said winking to the camera.

"_What I don't get is how the hell he got Rose" Jack said "I mean I thought you said it was impossible"_

"_I thought it was" the Doctor said looking sickly _

"_He must have found my notebook" I muttered The Doctor and Jack look at me with confused expressions so I expanded "while we were in 1913 and 1969 I was working on a project with the TARDIS. To use the rift to get Rose back"_

"_Gwen Cooper you are fantastic, amazing, brilliant" the Doctor said sweeping me up in a big bear hug "but now the Master has Rose which is bad, very bad. He'll be using someone to get to you as well Gwen. Any family left?"_

_I swallowed "my parents…and Rhys" then I realised "my god Rhys! How is he? What happened to him?"_

"_Wondered if you'll ask about him" Jack muttered "he was depressed when we told him you were dead. Then he moved to America. I think it's safe to say the Master won't go after him."_

"_Who's Rhys?" the Doctor asks _

"_Gwen's boyfriend"_

"_Another Rickey the idiot?"_

"_Yep"_

"_Poor you"_

_I coughed "excuse me but shouldn't we be working on how to stop the Master, save Rose and all that" there was a moments silence when I realised something "what is the Master up to anyway?" _

_The Doctor and Jack exchanges glances and I sigh. What a way to start an investigation. _

"_Right then we need to get hold off a computer" I said_

_And that was why I was sitting there in an internet café trying my hardest to no throttle the Doctor as he kept squawking what, when we saw the announcement of the Toclafane._

"_It's a myth, a fairy tale, a GALIFREYAN fairy tale. No way in all time and space are those the Toclafane"_

"_Shh…" I hissed "listen here. It says here that Rose is his mentally disabled sister that he keeps with him most of the time. This guy has got everything covered Rose is probably guarded twenty four/seven"_

"_Damn it" the Doctor mutters. _

_I looked over to Jack "are the computer access codes still the same?" I asked "because we should try and contact the others"_

"_Let me do it" Jack said "I think I changed one or two" I shuffled over and allowed Jack to type the codes in quickly. The usual Torchwood logo popped up. _

"_Torchwood" the Doctor hissed "you work for those evil alien murdering son of the bitches. Did you know they're the reason Rose was stuck in a parallel world? They're barbarians" _

_I felt ashamed and upset the same time. My eyes filled with tears as Jack protested. I looked up at the Doctor "is that what you think of me?" I whispered feeling tears fall down my cheeks "that I'm some kind of barbarian that kills aliens?"_

_The hard look in his eyes softens "no, not you Gwen. You're sweet and kind" _

"_But I worked for Torchwood and apparently we're evil alien murdering son of the bitches" I said bitterly. _

_He flinches and I know he hates the fact his words have been flung back at him. "I didn't mean you"_

"_But you meant Jack?" I snapped "my team? Tosh is a sweet innocent geeky girl, Owen is yes perverted but a good man and Ianto, Ianto tried to look after his girlfriend who was half cybermen. They're good people"_

"_Sorry" the Doctor whispers_

_I turned round and ignored him and watched the video of the reporter. I felt Jack reach for my hand and I felt a bit better. _

The Doctor was burrowing Jack's mobile to ring the Master. The good thing about Torchwood was they had everyone's number.

"Theta, wondered when you'll phone" the Master's voice rang out cheerfully

"Koschei" he murmured

"Did you see my broadcast? The first one I mean. Don't you think posh suits look good on her? I see why you liked her, very feisty and very faithful. Knew that I wasn't you within seconds after I claimed I was you regenerated. What do you think of my wife Lucy? She's a lot like Rose you know"

"What do you want?" the Doctor growled

"A new Galifrey" the Master said and the Doctor could almost hear that insane smile "tell Jackie boy and his little maid that the rest of their team are in the Himalayas. Oh look you're on TV"

"Stop playing round"

"No look you are" the Doctor turned to see a TV tuned in one the news.

"Public enemies one, two and three. You better run Doctor" he cackled slightly "I said RUN!"

_We sat there curled up on the bare warehouse floor, eating chips and trying to work out how to get on the Valiant. Things have gotten steadily worse. Martha Jones and her family have all been captured to tempt us. Poor innocent Martha. _

_The Doctor told us about Galifrey and its traditions and why the Master was so insane. Because of the drums. _

_Then I mentioned something about cloaking devices on the TARDIS and how about we use something like that to get us on the Valiant. The Doctor jumps up and kisses me on the forehead. _

"_You Gwen Cooper are brilliant. We'll use our keys as a perceptive filter hiding us from everyone"_

_We managed to get through the guards and on to the Valiant. The Doctor was hovering closer and closer to Rose, who was sitting there quietly looking terrified. I saw Martha standing there in a maid's uniform and reached out grabbing her hand. She jumped but relaxed when she saw me. I held a finger to my lips and she nodded. _

_The Master let out a loud HA! He knocked the Doctor back and killed the President of the United States. I watched in horror as he turned the Doctor to an old man. Rose was refusing to leave his side though he was pleading her to. _

_Jack pressed something into my hand. My eye caught the Doctor's and he nodded before whispering things in Rose's ear. The moment he pulled back. I lunged at her and pressed down on the button. _

_I landed on Earth with a bump and beside me Rose Tyler and Martha Jones groaning slightly. _

_I looked up to see the sky in an angry red as the Toclafane rained down. _


	11. Chapter 11

September 2007

**September 2007**

_The three of us walked across the rocky path of the Alps, heading south towards Italy avoiding all Tocalfane. Rose stood her ground and her ever present hand in mine was a comfort. Martha walked slightly behind us, tired after another day walking._

_We three are doing our duty as the Doctor's companions. Well I and Rose were Martha was confused and tired. She assisted the Doctor three times and now everything rested on her and two other women. _

"_I'm exhausted guys" she groaned _

_I smiled weakly and wrapped an arm round her, so she could lean on me. "We'll find somewhere to rest" I promised _

"_Over there!" Rose shouted pointing towards a cave with smoke coming out. _

_We began to run towards it. Our footsteps must alert whoever resided in the cave because I heard the familiar sound of a gun. I held Rose and Martha back and edged closer to the cave. _

"_Hello?" I called _

"_State your name and status" a very familiar voice shouted _

"_Gwen Cooper, Torchwood recruit" I shouted back_

"_LIAR!" three voices exploded _

"_State your true name"_

_I rolled my eyes "we can play this game all night Owen but it won't change the fact I'm Gwen Cooper"_

"_Oh yeah? What's the first thing I said in your presence?"_

"_Sorry I'm a twat" I said _

_Suddenly I was pulled into a gruff embrace by Owen Harper. Followed by a quick hug from Tosh and a gentle embrace from Ianto. _

"_You're alive" Tosh exclaimed "but how? We thought you were eaten"_

"_Eaten?" I raise my eyebrow _

"_Turns out it was cannibals" Ianto expanded _

"_I was shot" I said "a man called the Doctor saved me and I was travelling time and space with him"_

"_You're shitting me" Owen shouted _

"_Nope" I said grinning _

"_My god" Ianto breathed "THE Dame Rose" his eyes were on Rose "such an honour, I read how you and the Doctor saved Queen Victoria" he shook Rose's hand "come in, come in the three of you must be tired and hungry. I'll make some coffee"_

"_He's not kidding" Tosh said noticing my expression "he's making coffee from the fire like at camp"_

_We spent the whole night talking and drinking Ianto's fantastic brew. Well me, Rose and the team did. Poor Martha snored her way through. I told them my travels and my plans to bring Saxon down and they told me what adventures they've had. _

_It was early morning when the six of us headed down together towards Italy. Unfortunately Tocalfane were surrounding the area. Ianto, Tosh and Owen have drawn out their guns. _

"_RUN!" they shouted to us _

"_I'm not leaving you" I argued _

"_Gwen, you got to get Martha and Rose out of here" Ianto shouted "we'll catch up. I promise"_

"_You three better" I said before grabbing Rose and Martha and running like hell. _

_Three long hours. Three very long hours of Rose and Martha comforting me and promising me that my team were safe. _

_Then Ianto appeared like magic carrying Tosh. Owen was no where in sight. _

"_Ianto where's Owen?" I asked rushing to his side. _

_Tosh bursts into tears flinging herself onto me. And I knew the worst had happened. _

He was dragged from his cells to the main room where the Doctor was kept. He glanced over to his weak, frail friend before the Master came gliding in, dancing slightly with a maniacal grin.

"Jackie-boy good for you to join us" he said

"Not that I had the choice" Jack mumbled

"You never guess who was heading to Italy" the Master said as if I never spoke "a little party, three grew into six. Five legged it though. One of them sacrificed himself to keep them all safe. So out of his character from what I hear. Well I thought to celebrate his death I'll give you a pressie"

He dumped a small little wrapped thing on Jack's lap and Jack merely stared at it.

"Go on open it. You know you want to" the Master taunted. Jack glared at him "OPEN IT FREAK" the Master shouted.

Jack ripped open the paper and stared at the thing in his hand.

"Read it out" the Master ordered

"Dr Owen Harper" Jack choked out "Torchwood Medic"

"One has gone Magic Jack. And it's all the Doctor's fault" the Master left cackling.

"Jack?" the Doctor whispered

Jack howled and sobbed, "Happy now? One less alien murdering son of a bitch for you to worry about"

The Doctor flinched but didn't answer

"I loved him" Jack said "like a brother. He was a twat but he was my twat. My brother and he's dead"

"I'm sorry Jack, I'm so sorry" the Doctor croaked

But Jack wasn't listening; he was cradling the I.D like a child would carry a comfort blanket, rocking back and forth, tears spilling on his cheeks.


	12. Chapter 12

November 2007

**November 2007**

_We were on the shore of Eastern Europe, not quite sure where though. Heading towards Japan. Tosh hasn't spoken a word since the day Owen died, Ianto and I have been by her side majority of the time. _

_Rose was just amazing as I imagined her to be. She fought and talked us out of problems and she comforted Tosh many times. Poor Martha is finding it hard to cope; her thoughts are constantly on her family who were being tortured right as we speak. _

"_We need to find shelter" Rose said "the boat isn't coming till dawn"_

_I nodded and scanned my surroundings. Not so far away was a small camp. "We could ask them" I said pointing it out. _

"_Off we go then" Rose said leading us towards the camp. _

"_Who goes there!" an old man warbled, limping towards us "I warn you I am armed"_

"_Oh shut up please Dad" a platinum blonde came out frowning at the old man "look at them, they're kids. They probably want some shelter."_

"_You never let me have fun" the old man pouted _

_The blonde rolled her eyes "Sylvia Noble, this moron is my father Wilf Mote. Come in, come in" she herded us into the tent "my daughter will help you settle down"_

"_I'm not a bloomin' hostess Mum" a redhead snapped "Donna, Donna Noble" she said pleasantly to us. Offering her hand. We all shook it. _

"_I'll fix us some stew" Sylvia said hurrying to the camp stove. "Tell us, what bring you kids over here? Thought you'll be hiding. Just our luck to be here when the bloody Tocalfane attacked. Donna's fault, wanted to travel and there was no way we're letting her do it on her own"_

_Donna rolled her eyes and pulled faces. Both I and Rose muffled our giggles. _

"_We're stopping Saxon" Martha muttered _

_Sylvia dropped a pan, Wilf stumbled over a chair and Donna's eyes lit up in interest. _

"_My god, you're the group they've been talking about" Wilf said "I heard you're all super humans made from a secret government factor"_

_All of us but Tosh laughed. _

"_Not quite" I said "some of us work for a secret government factor"_

"_Actually we're outside the government and beyond the police" Ianto said dryly using Jack's speech_

"_Jack used that one a lot didn't he?" I said smiling _

"_Far too many times and if I had my diary with me I would tell you the exact number"_

"_So how are you going to stop Saxon?" Wilf asked _

"_We're not" Rose said "the best man in the whole universe is. The Doctor"_

_Donna dropped the mug she was holding and her hands grabbed Rose's shoulders "where is that bloody space-boy?" she asked "I keep looking for him, praying he'll come and the git hasn't had the decency to show up!"_

"_You met him I take it" Rose said grinning _

"_More like I was abducted" Donna said grinning back "my wedding day. One moment I was walking down the aisle next thing I know I'm in space in a bloody blue box. Turns out Lance (my fiancé) was going to sacrifice me to a bloody giant spider. Turned him down when he asked me to come with him but now…I wish I didn't"_

"_He's captured by Saxon" I said "but he's got a plan"_

_And so we told the story. We slept well that night. And the next morning Donna came with us. Making us six again. _

**December 2007**

_There was another attack. Everyone was screaming as they were sliced to pieces. We fought as hard as we could. _

"_Gather round, register" I shouted "Rose?"_

"_Here"_

"_Martha?"_

"_Here"_

"_Ianto?"_

"_Here"_

"_Tosh, Donna?"_

_No answer. _

"_Tosh, Donna?"_

_I screamed their names, Martha, Rose and Ianto joined in. it was four hours till we found them. Donna was laying there dead and Tosh was holding her. Tosh was bleeding. _

"_C'mon Tosh let her go" Martha muttered "I need to stitch you up"_

"_Too late" Tosh hissed "I'm dying"_

"_No, no you're not" I snapped "let Martha work on you"_

"_let me go Gwen" she whispered "I want to be with Owen…" tears fell freely down her cheeks "I want you to know, working for Torchwood was the best thing in my life"_

_She muttered something in Japanese before she faded. Her eyes closed slowly and she wasn't breathing anymore. _

"_She's gone" Martha said solemnly _

"_What did she say?" Ianto asked _

"_May the fortune of luck be with you my brothers and sisters" Rose said we looked at her questionly "I still have the TARDIS in my head" she said tapping her temple. _

It was Christmas day when Jack was dragged up to the main room again. The Doctor sat there as frail as always with a red paper hat on his head.

"I saw it on the memory banks and thought it was hilarious" the Master said giggling as he handed a large box to the Doctor and a small little parcel to Jack. "Remember last Christmas boys? You Jack got drunk and killed yourself repeatedly while you Doctor were saving the world. Me? I was having a nice dinner with Lucy and Rose."

They both stared at him blankly.

"Open your pressies." The Master said "it took me ages to find them"

Jack opened the small parcel and let out a small gasp, tears were flooding his eyes. The Doctor pulled the lid off his box and hissed. The Doctor pulled out many, many red curls and let them fall into the box.

"Remember how lovely they looked on her head?" the Master taunted "she was a lovely bride Donna Noble"

"Bastard" the Doctor hissed

"Talk about ungrateful" the Master said rolling his eyes "do you like your present Jack? It was said that she held Donna as she bled to death"

"Tosh" Jack whispered

"Your little genius. Your little student, the one you prided in as the best. Dead as a doornail. Just the tea boy and Gwenie-poos left" The Master let out a cackle "cheer up boys it's Christmas"


	13. Chapter 13

February 2008

**February 2008 **

_The four of us have travelled all of Asia and was now heading to Africa. From there we go back to England the exact day we left the Valiant. That was the plan. It was the plan I chant in my head. It's the plan Martha repeats to herself every night like a bed time story, it's the plan Rose whispers to herself to remind her that soon she'll be with the Doctor and it's the plan Ianto survives on._

_We have seen so much death these past few months. We have travelled and seen the world at its worst._

_We now have come to the port we needed only to be surrounded by the Tocalfane. _

"_Shit" I hissed drawing out the gun I took from Tosh "stand back"_

_I can hear Ianto drawing out his gun, blocking the Tocalfane from Martha, protecting her as I was protecting Rose. _

_We began to shoot. _

_Few were gone, running away, probably to get some reinforcement. Enough were gone for Rose and Martha to leg it. Which I commanded them to do. _

"_We're not leaving you Gwen" Rose shouted _

"_Go, I'll be fine" I called back "look after Martha, get to the boat, I'll join you in Africa, I promise"_

_I continued to shoot as I hear Rose's and Martha's footsteps heading towards the boat and I concentrated on shooting down the Tocalfane. We managed to get rid of them but one sliced a blade into Ianto's abdomen._

_I carried him to the nearest campsite I could find. _

_It was twenty miles away. _

_I nursed him, tried to stitch the wound up with nothing, cooled his fever down, feed him food and held his hand. _

_Three long days and still no proper progress. _

"_Gwen" he whispered _

"_Shh…" I say "you need your rest sweetie so you can grow strong again"_

"_Gwen it's no use, I'm dying" he whispered _

"_Don't say that" I said fiercely _

"_Gwen, why did you leave us? Why didn't you come back?"_

"_I was just the new girl" I said sadly "Susie's replacement. I wasn't really part of the team"_

_He clasped my hand and held it tightly "you were part of our team. We loved you"_

"_I love you all too" I whispered. _

_His breathing slowed down to non existent. _

"_Ianto? Ianto wake up, please Ianto don't die" I whimpered tears falling down on my cheeks "DON'T DIE IANTO PLEASE!"_

_But of course he didn't wake up. He was gone completely. I howled and cried, I wept and screamed. Then I dried my tears away. I pressed a kiss on his lips and covered hi face with a sheet to show respect. _

_I then headed to Africa to find Rose and Martha._

Jack was once again brought up to the main room for Valentine's Day. Both he and the Doctor suffered as the Master and Lucy made lovey dovey faces at each other over the candle lit dinner, and suffered when they were making out.

The Master pulled away from Lucy and turned to Jack with his maniacal grin on full blast. "Jackie-boy I got you a valentine present. Took a while to find but it was worth it." He threw an envelope to Jack who caught it and opened it without being nagged into it.

He bit his lip from crying out when he saw the photo. Tears poured down his cheeks. The photo of Ianto lying there dead on an autopsy table fell to the ground.

"Cheer up Jackie-boy" the Master said "it's the day of lurve" and at that he kissed Lucy passionately.


	14. Chapter 14

He stood there on the beach waiting, waiting for these mysterious warriors that he heard so much about

He stood there on the beach waiting, waiting for these mysterious warriors that he heard so much about. He could see their silhouettes climbing out of the boat and walking towards him. He imagined them to be the most beautiful women in the world dressed as if another normal day.

What he sees was something he didn't expect. A pale girl with freckles and ebony black hair looking mournful. A blonde with big eyes and big lips looking soulful and goddess like. And a black beauty, the most beautiful one in his point of view.

"Tom Milligan?" the blonde asked

"Yes that's me. Your guide to Britain"

"Long time since we've been here" the black woman said sadly

"Home sweet home" the freckly one quipped and all three sighed mournfully.

"Which is which?" he asked

"I'm Rose" the blonde said

"Gwen Cooper" the freckly one said flashing him a quick polite smile.

"And I'm Martha" the beautiful one said.

He spent the whole journey to Professor Docherty's and the whole mission to keep all three saved by Martha's side. He couldn't help it; she was beautiful, smart, witty and practicing to be a doctor. He's dream girl.

_Everything depended on Docherty's betrayal. We needed the Master to think we have a weapon, we needed the Master think everything depended on it. I sit there listening to Rose retell the story as she has lately. _

_Martha tells it well but her heart isn't in it completely. Her mind is always on her family. _

_And me. I'm still mourning. My mind flashes to Tosh, Owen and Ianto each time. How I left them for the Doctor. How they died thinking I didn't love them. If I could turn back time I'll probably stay with them. Yes it meant the Doctor would be alone and Rose wouldn't be here. But they needed me more. _

_Rose has just finished the story with her usual declaration of love to the Doctor and I smile at her. She was everything I thought she'll be and more. She takes care of everyone when she has the chance and I know leaving the Doctor with her would be exactly what a doctor ordered (no pun intended). _

_I know that Rose is worried, after all today we saw the Master turn the Doctor into a shrivelled little creature. A sad creature and our hearts went out to him. _

The plan went perfectly. The Master caught them and took them to the Valiant. He had all three of them there in front of the Joneses, Jack and the Doctor as he boasted. And then it struck eight in the morning. And the plan started.

Everyone thought his name.

Jack screwed his eyes up and whispered his name with a grin.

Rose whispered it the way she always did in her sleep.

Martha and her family shouted it out to the heavens.

Gwen chanted it with her thoughts not only on him but on her team.

Even Lucy the Master wife screwed her eyes up and murmured it.

And there he was. Young again. And everything grinned because now he's back, now he can stop his insanity.

Jack and Rose broke the Paradox machine and everything was flung back in time. Rose and the Doctor held each other, the Joneses clung on to each other and Jack gripped onto Gwen's hand tightly.

"Wish them back" he whispered

"Tosh, Owen, Ianto" she whispered "they're going to be alive"

But not everything went to plan. The Doctor planned. The Master died and he refused to regenerate. Gwen couldn't help but be pleased. This man had killed her team and now he was gone for good. No longer a threat.

Martha and her family insisted on being dropped home.

As the four of them headed back to the TARDIS Jack turned to the Doctor.

"I want to go back. To Cardiff. To my team" he said

"Ok" the Doctor said steadily

"Gwen, you coming with me or are you staying with the Doctor?" Jack asked

_Everyone's eyes were on me and I realised that I had to make a choice. The TARDIS or Torchwood. My team or Rose. My best friend the Doctor or the man I love Jack. _

**Authors note: you want to know Gwen's choice? You have to review first; this is the second to last chapter so your chances are running out. **


	15. Chapter 15

Authors note: thank you all for reviewing, putting me on alert and favourites

**Authors note: thank you all for reviewing, putting me on alert and favourites. This last chapter is dedicated to you all.**

**Previously:**

"_Gwen, you coming with me or are you staying with the Doctor?" Jack asked_

_**Everyone's eyes were on me and I realised that I had to make a choice. The TARDIS or Torchwood. My team or Rose. My best friend the Doctor or the man I love Jack. **_

"I…" Gwen said shaking her head "I…don't know…I honestly don't know Jack"

Jack looked away hoping she won't see the sadness in his face. Hoping that she won't see how disappointed he is that she didn't pick him straight away like he picked her. Like Rose picked the Doctor.

"Oh…" he mumbled, he looked over to Rose and the Doctor and quickly changed the topic. "How did you get back Rosie? I thought it was supposed to be impossible"

Rose grinned "Gwen researched the rift, thought if the TARDIS travelled through the rift it'll get in Pete's world without cracking the walls of time and space. She spent months on it. Was going to show the Doctor in Cardiff but ended up at the end of the universe. The Master found the research and used it. So he could have his fun and games" her smile turned into a frown when she talked about the Master. Nobody pushed her into details.

The silence was deafening and the Doctor jumped up and clapped his hands. "Cardiff, May 2007 right? Good, here we go"

The TARDIS rocked about briefly before landing smoothly. Jack looked over to Gwen who made no movement to the door.

"Well then…" he said smiling stiffly "I better go then" he turned to the door and exited. He could hear footsteps. He turned smiling thinking Gwen was behind him, instead the Doctor was.

"Hand me your vortex manipulator I can't afford you time travelling" he said holding his hand out. Jack sighed but handed it over.

"Rose" Gwen said softly "the Doctor is my best friend and if you weren't here I would have stayed…I won't leave him alone."

Rose pulled Gwen into a hug "Gwen Cooper you are fantastic" she whispered "thank you so much for looking after him"

"You know" Jack said "I was born in the Boeshane Pensulia. My nickname was the Face of Boe because of my good looks"

Gwen, Rose and the Doctor exchanged looks before bursting out into hysterical laughter.

"What?" Jack asked "what are you three hiding"

Gwen slipped an arm through Jack's "oh honey if I could tell you I will but that would spoil the future for you"

"You were brilliant Gwen Cooper" the Doctor said changing the subject "and I'm glad I met you. I'm sorry what I said about Torchwood. If it's got workers like you, then it's not all that bad."

"You better come and visit" Gwen said "and I'm keeping the key no way am I doing a Jack and jump on top of the TARDIS"

"What?" Jack blinked "I'm confused, I thought you were staying with the Doctor and Rose"

"Nah, two's a couple, three's a crowd" Gwen said "and five is family" she added softly smiling up at Jack. Jack smiled back and the pair stared at each other, not realising that Rose and the Doctor had slipped away until the TARDIS engines started.

_We walked along the street hand in hand, exchanging stories and laughing. Jack paused when he saw a newspaper. _

"_Oh no way" he said "bloody hell his piloting skills have not changed at all. Or if they had only for the worse"_

_He held out the paper and I caught two words. January 2008. Ah shit, the others are so going to kill me and Jack, I've been gone almost two years and him nearly a year. _

"_Shall we get dinner first?" I asked "a last supper kind of thing"_

"_Sure" Jack said. _

_The next few hours went quickly and Jack decided he wanted a dramatic entrance. We followed the voices on Jack's comm. And tracked the three in a house trying to capture a giant blowfish that hijacked a sports car. _

"_Stay here" Jack hissed in my ear as he slipped against the wall round the corner. _

_I caught bits of the blowfish insulting Ianto, when suddenly I hear a gun shot and Jack saying. "Hey kids, you missed me?" he then reached out from behind and grabbed my hand "I brought you a present" he said pulling me round._

"_Gwen…" Ianto whispered _

"_You're shitting me" Owen muttered _

"_My god" Tosh whispered looking gob smacked. _

_Next thing I know the three of them have me and Jack locked in some tight group hug. And I grin happily. Because I am Gwen Cooper, Torchwood recruit. I used to be the Doctor's companion but I had made my choice. And you know what? I wouldn't have it anyway. _

**Author's note: the end. Thank you all for reading and please review one last time. **


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